This was supposed to be China's year, the time when the nation, proudly carrying the Olympic banner, was rightly welcomed to the world stage as an equal and respected partner. A moment for China to refashion its image in the eyes of its own people - and the world.
Reasons for confidence abounded - a seemingly tireless economy that pumped out a better standard of living for an expanding middle class; the growing list of foreign companies that, looking across Asia, decided to plant their regional headquarters on the mainland; a leadership not afraid to throw its weight around when national interests were at stake.
But the past 12 months instead presented Beijing with a number of severe tests, where the consequences of prizing economic growth above all else were laid painfully bare. What the nation had achieved paled in comparison to those things that it still lacked.
'Despite the economic reform, the institutional problems remain unchanged,' said Hu Xingdou , a Beijing-based political analyst. 'If there is no radical change in political and institutional reform toward better governance, problems will continue.'
The year had a foreboding start. In January, the mainland was hit by the worst snowstorms in half a century. Power grids toppled, throwing several provinces into the dark. Jets were grounded and train services halted, stranding more than 1.93 million passengers, most of them eager to return to their home towns for the Lunar New Year holiday.
The storm caught the government unprepared. State media at first focused on the rarity of the event, with stories expressing amazement alongside photos of icicles hanging from trees.